London to Brighton bike ride



J

Jerry

Guest
Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone would know or have a link to the route for the
London to Brighton bike ride? In a moment of recklessness I have entered it
and wanted to find out what I was letting myself in for!

Thanks for any help
Jerry
 
Jerry wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> Just wondering if anyone would know or have a link to the route for the
> London to Brighton bike ride? In a moment of recklessness I have entered it
> and wanted to find out what I was letting myself in for!


depends how much you ride, to many Ditchling is the major (some would
say the only)challenge; here is the route I have ridden 10 out of 11
times although last year it went a different way between Ardingly and
Ditchling for some reason;

The Official London to Brighton Bike Ride route (as ridden 1993-2004)

Clapham Common south side - Nightingale Walk- Nightingale Lane- Trinity
Rd - Upper Tooting Rd - Mitcham Rd A217- London Rd- A236 Commonside
West- A237 Carshalton Rd- London Rd- Nightingale Rd- North St under
Carshalton Stn- A 232 R by the ponds- Park Hill- past Oaks Park-
Woodmansterne- How Lane- Kingswood- L to go past *****'s Farm shop -
under M25- L through Gatton Bottom- R onto A23 over M25- Merstham -
Nutfield Rd- Nutfield Marsh- Over A25- past Dog and Duck -R at T into
and through Smallfield - L onto B2037- R onto B2028 by Effingham Park
hotel- continue through Turners Hill and Ardingly- Lindfield- Haywards
Heath- B2112 to Ditchling-

(alternatively at Stone Cross after Lywood cottages about 2 km after
Ardingly, L sp Horsted Keynes - R at T - L into Plummerden Lane - R at
T- through Walstead- L after cemetery- L back onto B2028- R at A272 - L
into Slugwash Lane- L at T- R in Wivelsfield Green - 1st R into Hundred
Acre Lane- R at T- L at RAB onto B2112 over railway and through
Ditchling where L to the Beacon)


up the Beacon, then after a well deserved ice cream continue to L at T
and continue through Coldean under the A27 to R at lights onto A270 to
Brighton- continue to Palace Pier where L along sea front to finish in
Madeira Drive.
 
I should add it normally goes through Walsted but went through Haywards
Heath last year and also in 2001 because of foot and mouth, the
Walstead route is much nicer but they are both pretty easy. The BHF are
normally quite secretive about the route presumably to keep unofficial
riders away, but it is displayed on traffic warning signs several weeks
before.
 
Thanks for that Martin, appreciate it. I've heard about Ditchling and that
it is quite hard going. I ride moderately but nowhere near that sort of
distance, usually don't do more than 25 miles, less than half, gulp! My
bikes are all MTBs, but I do have semi-slick tyres... Is a road bike a must
for this sort of distance would you say? (Thinks: may be a good excuse to
buy new road bike!).

Thanks
Jerry

"MartinM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Jerry wrote:
>> Hi there,
>>
>> Just wondering if anyone would know or have a link to the route for the
>> London to Brighton bike ride? In a moment of recklessness I have entered
>> it
>> and wanted to find out what I was letting myself in for!

>
> depends how much you ride, to many Ditchling is the major (some would
> say the only)challenge; here is the route I have ridden 10 out of 11
> times although last year it went a different way between Ardingly and
> Ditchling for some reason;
>
> The Official London to Brighton Bike Ride route (as ridden 1993-2004)
>
> Clapham Common south side - Nightingale Walk- Nightingale Lane- Trinity
> Rd - Upper Tooting Rd - Mitcham Rd A217- London Rd- A236 Commonside
> West- A237 Carshalton Rd- London Rd- Nightingale Rd- North St under
> Carshalton Stn- A 232 R by the ponds- Park Hill- past Oaks Park-
> Woodmansterne- How Lane- Kingswood- L to go past *****'s Farm shop -
> under M25- L through Gatton Bottom- R onto A23 over M25- Merstham -
> Nutfield Rd- Nutfield Marsh- Over A25- past Dog and Duck -R at T into
> and through Smallfield - L onto B2037- R onto B2028 by Effingham Park
> hotel- continue through Turners Hill and Ardingly- Lindfield- Haywards
> Heath- B2112 to Ditchling-
>
> (alternatively at Stone Cross after Lywood cottages about 2 km after
> Ardingly, L sp Horsted Keynes - R at T - L into Plummerden Lane - R at
> T- through Walstead- L after cemetery- L back onto B2028- R at A272 - L
> into Slugwash Lane- L at T- R in Wivelsfield Green - 1st R into Hundred
> Acre Lane- R at T- L at RAB onto B2112 over railway and through
> Ditchling where L to the Beacon)
>
>
> up the Beacon, then after a well deserved ice cream continue to L at T
> and continue through Coldean under the A27 to R at lights onto A270 to
> Brighton- continue to Palace Pier where L along sea front to finish in
> Madeira Drive.
>
 
Jerry wrote:
> Thanks for that Martin, appreciate it. I've heard about Ditchling and
> that it is quite hard going. I ride moderately but nowhere near that
> sort of distance, usually don't do more than 25 miles, less than
> half, gulp! My bikes are all MTBs, but I do have semi-slick tyres...
> Is a road bike a must for this sort of distance would you say?
> (Thinks: may be a good excuse to buy new road bike!).
>


Nah, MTB with semi slicks will be fine. Just take it moderate & steady - you
will have to in may parts because of the crowded road.

I did it the first time on a mtb with winter nobblies!

pk
 
"Jerry" <haysden@%no_sp*m%hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Thanks for that Martin, appreciate it. I've heard about Ditchling and that
> it is quite hard going. I ride moderately but nowhere near that sort of
> distance, usually don't do more than 25 miles, less than half, gulp! My
> bikes are all MTBs, but I do have semi-slick tyres... Is a road bike a
> must for this sort of distance would you say? (Thinks: may be a good
> excuse to buy new road bike!).


The important thing to remember is to keep left when you get off the bike on
*any* hills.

Get there early, have fun. Not sure how the hell I can get from Surbiton to
the start without a train or car, and then having to get back again without
a train or car. OK, I can cycle, but from my past experience, it was the
heat that was the main problem. I was glad to reach Brighton and get out of
the Sun.
 
p.k. wrote:
> Jerry wrote:
> > Thanks for that Martin, appreciate it. I've heard about Ditchling and
> > that it is quite hard going. I ride moderately but nowhere near that
> > sort of distance, usually don't do more than 25 miles, less than
> > half, gulp! My bikes are all MTBs, but I do have semi-slick tyres...
> > Is a road bike a must for this sort of distance would you say?
> > (Thinks: may be a good excuse to buy new road bike!).
> >

>
> Nah, MTB with semi slicks will be fine. Just take it moderate & steady - you
> will have to in may parts because of the crowded road.
>
> I did it the first time on a mtb with winter nobblies!


what he said; the vast majority do it on MTB's; the low gears will get
pretty much anyone up the Beacon if the spirit is willing and the flesh
not weak. On a road bike you often end up frustrated at the average
speed; and Look pedals can be a curse but ATEOTD it's a fun ride; just
wish the trains (or lack thereof) hadn't stuffed it up for so many
riders. Would have done it again this year but there are 1.5 AAA's up
for grabs a few miles west on the same day.
 
"Jerry" <haysden@%no_sp*m%hotmail.com>typed


> Thanks for that Martin, appreciate it. I've heard about Ditchling and that
> it is quite hard going. I ride moderately but nowhere near that sort of
> distance, usually don't do more than 25 miles, less than half, gulp! My
> bikes are all MTBs, but I do have semi-slick tyres... Is a road bike a must
> for this sort of distance would you say? (Thinks: may be a good excuse to
> buy new road bike!).


No. Any bike will do. I did it on a replica Pedersen bicycle, which I
have since given to someone else here.

The difficult things about London to Brighton are

1) Riding with thousands of other cyclists (puts you off balance)
2) Getting back after the ride now the trains won't take bikes

Otherwise, just go, drink enough, eat enough, stop when you're tired and
don't forget the sunscreen.

Make sure there's nothing obviously unserviceable on your bike before
you start.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email protected]
Edgware.
 
Helen Deborah Vecht wrote:

> The difficult things about London to Brighton are
>
> 1) Riding with thousands of other cyclists (puts you off balance)
> 2) Getting back after the ride now the trains won't take bikes
>
> Otherwise, just go, drink enough, eat enough, stop when you're tired and
> don't forget the sunscreen.
>
> Make sure there's nothing obviously unserviceable on your bike before
> you start.


It has been Scorchio on 9 of the 11 times I've done it so sunscreen and
lots to drink (not BEER) is very good advice. I missed it in 2000 but
had to cross the route on the way back from a CTC ride, the roads
melted that day, by 1700 it was like The Cycling Dead. At the other
extreme I've seen people shivering in bin liners in a thunderstorm.
Just be prepared for anything and don't go too fast, you'd be amazed at
some of the cycle (and driving) skills on display that day!
above all, Enjoy ;-)
 
Many thanks for the replies and advice folks, really appreciate it. I had
been wondering why the route is not publicised on the BHF website but the
thing about unofficial riders makes sense. Think I'll stick to my MTB with
the semi-slicks then, certainly not fussed about speed or time, just getting
round it will be achievement enough!

Thanks
Jerry

"Jerry" <haysden@%no_sp*m%hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Thanks for that Martin, appreciate it. I've heard about Ditchling and that
> it is quite hard going. I ride moderately but nowhere near that sort of
> distance, usually don't do more than 25 miles, less than half, gulp! My
> bikes are all MTBs, but I do have semi-slick tyres... Is a road bike a
> must for this sort of distance would you say? (Thinks: may be a good
> excuse to buy new road bike!).
>
> Thanks
> Jerry
>
> "MartinM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> Jerry wrote:
>>> Hi there,
>>>
>>> Just wondering if anyone would know or have a link to the route for the
>>> London to Brighton bike ride? In a moment of recklessness I have entered
>>> it
>>> and wanted to find out what I was letting myself in for!

>>
>> depends how much you ride, to many Ditchling is the major (some would
>> say the only)challenge; here is the route I have ridden 10 out of 11
>> times although last year it went a different way between Ardingly and
>> Ditchling for some reason;
>>
>> The Official London to Brighton Bike Ride route (as ridden 1993-2004)
>>
>> Clapham Common south side - Nightingale Walk- Nightingale Lane- Trinity
>> Rd - Upper Tooting Rd - Mitcham Rd A217- London Rd- A236 Commonside
>> West- A237 Carshalton Rd- London Rd- Nightingale Rd- North St under
>> Carshalton Stn- A 232 R by the ponds- Park Hill- past Oaks Park-
>> Woodmansterne- How Lane- Kingswood- L to go past *****'s Farm shop -
>> under M25- L through Gatton Bottom- R onto A23 over M25- Merstham -
>> Nutfield Rd- Nutfield Marsh- Over A25- past Dog and Duck -R at T into
>> and through Smallfield - L onto B2037- R onto B2028 by Effingham Park
>> hotel- continue through Turners Hill and Ardingly- Lindfield- Haywards
>> Heath- B2112 to Ditchling-
>>
>> (alternatively at Stone Cross after Lywood cottages about 2 km after
>> Ardingly, L sp Horsted Keynes - R at T - L into Plummerden Lane - R at
>> T- through Walstead- L after cemetery- L back onto B2028- R at A272 - L
>> into Slugwash Lane- L at T- R in Wivelsfield Green - 1st R into Hundred
>> Acre Lane- R at T- L at RAB onto B2112 over railway and through
>> Ditchling where L to the Beacon)
>>
>>
>> up the Beacon, then after a well deserved ice cream continue to L at T
>> and continue through Coldean under the A27 to R at lights onto A270 to
>> Brighton- continue to Palace Pier where L along sea front to finish in
>> Madeira Drive.
>>

>
>
 
"Jerry" <haysden@%no_sp*m%hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Many thanks for the replies and advice folks, really appreciate it. I had
> been wondering why the route is not publicised on the BHF website but the
> thing about unofficial riders makes sense.


Who mentioned unofficial riders?
 
elyob wrote:
> "Jerry" <haysden@%no_sp*m%hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Many thanks for the replies and advice folks, really appreciate it. I had
> > been wondering why the route is not publicised on the BHF website but the
> > thing about unofficial riders makes sense.

>
> Who mentioned unofficial riders?


I don't think it's any great secret that up to double the official
number of riders (27000)ride on the day. I wouldn't do it unofficially
myself as it might jeopardise the ride's future; it's jammed much of
the way as it is. As the BHF say, it's their ride (and also their
biggest earner).
 
On Sat, 11 Feb 2006 20:18:31 -0000, "Jerry" <haysden@%no_sp*m%hotmail.com>
wrote:

> Is a road bike a must
>for this sort of distance would you say? (Thinks: may be a good excuse to
>buy new road bike!).


Anything goes, really. The most outrageous one I saw was a 3-wheeled ice cream
bicycle, no gears. An MTB with slicks is more than adequate. This might be a
good excuse to get a unicycle...
 
in message <[email protected]>, Jerry
('haysden@%no_sp*m%hotmail.com') wrote:

> Is a road bike a must
> for this sort of distance would you say? (Thinks: may be a good excuse
> to buy new road bike!).


Yup. You definitely need a road bike. Could not possibly do it on
anything else. Really. Believe me. Nothing less than a complete Campag
groupset will do.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; Sending your money to someone just because they've erected
;; a barrier of obscurity and secrets around the tools you
;; need to use your data does not help the economy or spur
;; innovation. - Waffle Iron Slashdot, June 16th, 2002
 
"Jerry" <haysden@%no_sp*m%hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Thanks for that Martin, appreciate it. I've heard about Ditchling

and that
> it is quite hard going.


One problem with riding up Ditchling Beacon is that, unless you are
at the front of the crowd, the road will probably be full of
everybody else walking up.

Jeremy Parker